For Dugger, Trick Is To Ride ... Outstyle Someone Else

August 21, 1987|By DON ZERN, Staff Writer

In his west Hollywood neighborhood, David Dugger is just another boy who wears flashy T-shirts, Reeboks and does bicycle wheelies with the gang.

But Dugger becomes a prince of the pavement when he twists and turns his small frame to the constant pounding of rap music in front of admiring fans at bicycle freestyle competitions. The transformation is easy: just offer him a chance at a trophy, let him wear his colorful uniform and he`ll make his bike dance to Run D.M.C.

Dugger, 12, has found something that makes him feel considerably larger than 4 feet 6 and 65 pounds. Around his neighborhood, he`s big stuff. He enjoys that.

``I feel great when I`m performing because it`s just me out there and everybody is watching,`` said Dugger, 12. ``When I`m doing good, I can`t help but be real happy.``

Dugger is a BMX Freestyler who competes in American Freestyle Association events locally and around the nation. He is sponsored by G.T. Bicycles out of Huntington Beach, Calif.

``They gave me this neat $530 bike to ride and use in contests,`` Dugger said. ``It`s the best thing on the market. It sure is fun and easy to ride.``

Freestyle competitors such as Dugger, who perform intricate maneuvers and tricks atop their expensive 20-inch bicycles, call what they do stylin`. They perform tail whips with the rear wheels raised and twists around the handlebars called boomerankles.

They do their tricks either from a ramp or on the pavement (flatland). Dugger prefers the latter.

Depending on the contest, riders give 2 1/2- to 3-minute performances in front of judges who score their routines. The better or newer the trick, the higher the scoring. One hundred is a perfect score.

Those who invent new tricks receive the highest scores.

``Stylin` is great because it`s only you out there and the only one you can blame is yourself if you mess up,`` said Bill Swoope, Dugger`s friend and fellow freestyler.

``David is always trying something new, and it`s very common for him and his friends to share ideas,`` said Pam Dugger, David`s mother.

David is in love with his sport. He has been interested in freestyling for 2 1/2 years and spends between three and five hours a day practicing depending on the time of year.

When the school day is over, David and his mother have this understanding.

``David does very well in school -- all As and Bs,`` said Pam Dugger. ``He knows that as long as he keeps it up, I`ll allow him to practice right after school and work until dark. He then does his homework before he goes to bed.``

There are many local competitions every year, but there are but six national contests. So far this year, David placed second in his age division in one held at West Palm Beach.

Dugger`s trip to Texas wasn`t as productive.

``Our plan got hung up and we didn`t get to the hotel until late,`` Pam Dugger said. ``When you travel by plane, you have to take the bike apart, box it up, then put it back together again. David didn`t get much sleep that night and it showed the next day.

``The next morning he was the first one out at 8:30 a.m. He came in eighth out of 16.``

Not placing in the top three spots is unusual for David. In his first contest two years ago, David beat out 13 competitors for first place.

``I love the attention people give me,`` David said. ``I used to be real shy, but now when people start talking about what I do, I`m not shy at all.``

David said he got started stylin` one afternoon when he saw a neighborhood friend do a simple bicycle trick. David tried it, succeeded and learned other, more difficult maneuvers.

Now Dugger, Swoope and a half-dozen other boys meet regularly and swap information and ideas. Swoope also is sponsored by G.T. Bicycles.

``I`m really shocked that David is sticking with this,`` his mother said. ``Kids his age tend to give up on things when they start getting old. I think the attention he gets and because he does win his share of trophies keeps him interested in it.``

Being able to travel to new places helps keep the interest level high.

``We all have friends from all over the country that we don`t get to see except at national contests,`` Swoope said.